Electric motor control for food mixers



March 2, 1954 R. J. BRASKI ELECTRIC MOTOR CONTROL FOR FOOD MIXERS Filed 001;. 11, 1950 2 Sheets-$heet 1 March 2, 1954 R. J. BRASKI 2,671,191

ELECTRIC MOTOR CONTROL FOR FOOD MIXERS Filed 001;. 11, 1950 2 sheets-sheet 2 cam ring for controlling the position of the main motor switch 25. The switch 25 is 50 arranged as to also be controlled by the timer mechanism indicated at 26. To actuate the switch 25 a cam surface 21 on the ring and an actuator lever 28 are provided. The lever 28 is pivoted upon a pin 33 supported in the lower casing l2. As will be apparent from an examination of Fig. 2, the moment the arm I6 is moved away from the off position illustrated, the ring 20 is rotated to force the cam follower 3| downwardly and move the switch upwardly. The operation of the switch 25 will be described more fully in connection with the description of the timer mechanism which follows.

The timer mechanism 26 is supported by two vertical plates 34 and 35 which are mounted on the lower casing l2. The timer dial 36 is on the opposite side of the mixer from the mechanism 26 and is connected thereto by a shaft 31 which extends across the mixer through an opening 38 provided in the boss 2|. One end of the shaft 31 is rigidly connected to the dial 36 and the other end is keyed by a pin 4!] to a smaller diameter shaft 4| which projects through the side of the t mer mechanism 26. Thus the setting of the timer dial 36 is transmitted to the mechanism 26. This arrangement is particularly advantageous in that it permits the speed control lever l6 and timer dial 36 to be located side by side where both are visible and accessible at the same time.

The construction and operation of the mechanism 26 can be most easily understood by reference to Figs. 2-6 in which like parts are identified by like numbers. The timer 26 comprises an escapement mechanism, best shown in Fig. 4, a cam and switch actuating mechanism, shown in Fig. 3, and a spiral drive spring 42 shown in Fig. 2. The drive spring 42 is attached at its center to the shaft 4|, and the outer end of this spring is attached to a fixed cross member 43 by a clip 44. On assembly the spring 42 is tensioned slightly so that at all times it tends to rotate the shaft 4| in the clockwise direction as 5;

viewed in Fig. 3.

The escapement mechanism comprises a balanc wheel 45, having a pair of anvil 46 thereon which regulate with an escapement wheel 41,

and a train of gears 48 for driving the escapeament wheel 41. A friction clutch 50 connects the first gear of the train 48 to the shaft 4!. The clutch 553 comprises a circular plate 5| which is loosely journalled on the shaft 4| and a cloverleaf pressure spring 53. The plate 5| is attached to the end pinion 52 of the train 48. Th cloverleaf spring 53 is mounted on the front side of the plate 5| so that its periphery bears against the plate 5|. The center portion of the spring 53 is fixed to an element 54 pressed on the shaft 4|. Thus the spring 53 rotates with the shaft 4| and transmits motion of the shaft to the plate 5| by friction. The pressure of the spring 53 is adjusted so that the milder return force of the spiral spring 42 is transmitted to the escapement, while the greater winding forc employed to turn the dial 36 to set the timer is not transmitted but instead results in a slipping of th clutch. The clutch action of the spring 53, therefore, protects the escapement mechanism from damage when the dial 36 is set. Thus the dial 36 may be turned to any desired setting independently of the escapement mechanism, and when the dial 35 is turned in the clockwise direction. Fig. 1, to any time setting and released, the action of the spring 42 and the escapement mechanism causes the shaft 4| to rotate slowly counterclockwise to the "off or zero position timing the mixing operation in accordance with the angle of travel.

The switch 25 is operated by a cam plate 55 (Fig. 3) carried by the shaft 4|. This plate, which is substantially circular, is relieved as shown in the drawings to provide a sharp step 56 and an involute surface 51. The purpose of the sharp step 56 is to provide a quick action when the timer reaches zero, so that the switch 25 will open rapidly.

The cam follower assembly comprises a pawl 58, a pivoted actuator arm 6|] on which the pawl 58 is mounted and a coil spring 64. An insulated lug 6| is mounted on the other end of the arm and engages the upper leaf element 62 of the switch 25. The pawl 58 is pivoted to permit the follower surface 53 to pass over the step 56 when the shaft 4| is counter-clockwise from the ofi" position, shown in Figs. 1 and 3, to a run position, shown in Fig. 5. As the cam 55 is turned in a counter-clockwise direction (as shown in Fig. 3) from the off" position, the follower surface 63 is engaged by the step 56. As the cam 5| continues to turn, the pawl 58 is rotated in a clockwise direction about pivot 59 stretching the spring 64 until a stop 65 engages the back surface of the arm 60. When this point is reached the follower surface 63 is so slanted with respect to the step 56 that it rides up the step readily rocking arm 60 about pivot 49 as the cam 55 continues to turn. When the follower surface 63 reaches the top of the step 56 the spring 65 pulls the pawl 58 counter-clockwise about pivot 59 to the position shown in Fig. 5, the edge of the surface 63 serving as a limit stop for the pawl 58.

When the knob 36 has been turned as described above and is released, the spring 42 which has been tensioned by the rotation of the shaft 4| causes the shaft 4| to rotate in the direction indicated by the arrow 65', the escaptment mechanism limiting the speed of rotation to time the mixing operation. When the preset time has expired and the cam 55 has returned to such a position that the follower surface 63 coincides with the edge of the step 56, the spring 64 pulls the pawl 58 and the arm 60 counter-clockwise about pivot 49 to the position shown in Fig. 3. During the running portion of the cycle the pawl 58 remains in the position shown in Fig. 5 so that it drops suddenly off of the step 56 instead of sliding slowly down. This causes the-switch 25 to snap open despite the slow motion of the cam 55.

When the switch 20 has opened,the cam 55 continues to rotate for a very short time until the follower surface 63 reaches the start of the incline 51. At this point the cams motion is checked because greater force is required to move the pawl 56 outwardly than is available in the spring, 42. However, the dial 36 may be readily turned counter-clockwise, Fig. 4, by hand to the manual control position indicated by the letter M, the incline 51 carrying the pawl 58 outwardly. A stop (not shown) prevents travel of the dial 36 beyond the manual position in which the parts are as shown in Fig. 6. As illustrated in Fig. 6 the switch 25 is closed when the dial is set on manual if'the speed control lever |6 has been moved to a speed setting.

The switch 25 comprises a. block of insulating material 66 which supports two flexible contact =members :62 and P61, =each provided with a con- =tact 68 and 69. The two members are shownin the unstressed position in Fig. 31with the contacts 5.68. and'69 widely separated, both-the speed con- -trol lever is and thediali36 being rotatedto the iofi. position; When the lever H5 is moved upwardly. the cam action of the ring2il .causes the :.end of theleverardbeneath the switch 25 tobe raised, bending flexing the lower flexible member :61 upwardlyto the. position shown'in Fig. 5. The lower contactfiil' is then in such a position that itmay be engaged by the upper contactisfl when the cam-.155 is turned ineither direction from the .,ofi.position, named to the --manual position .shown: in :Fig. 61- or a run position shown in'Fig.

5.; However, if the lever I5 is not moved from-its ."Fofif. position as described and the lowerfiexible -member is-notraisedas described, the switch;25

cannot close.

In order to increase the life of the contacts 68 i practically eliminates arcing at this phase of vope ration, ..but repeated slow movement of the speed control lever it to the off position may cause contact damage" if themixer is used with ,direct current and the sleeve it is not provided.

Thus the switch 25 is. open if either the speed setting lever"! 5 or the timer dial 3% is in the off position. This greatly simplifies the electrical circuit of the mixer (shown in Fig. 7) by eliminating the need for an extra switch. The control switch 25 is preferably connected between the two halves of the series motor field windings ii and 12 in order to reduce radio interference from the switch to a minimum. The two field halves H and 12 are in series across the line 13 with the armature M and the centrifugal switch 15 of the governor l5. This latter switch is shunted by a resistor 16 and a condenser ii. The resistor it; permits a reduced current to flow through the motor to decrease its speed when the centrifugal switch 75 is open, and the condenser serves to increase the life of the centrifugal switch and decrease radio interference from that source.

The operation of the mixer control mechanism is probably clear from the foregoing description of the various component parts, but the following rsum may prove helpful in fully understanding the invention.

Assuming that both the speed control lever l6 and the dial 3G are in the off position with the various elements as shown in 3, and that the operator desires to mix a batter for three minutes at a slow mixing speed, first the speed control lever i8 is moved upwardly until the knob 11 coincides with the proper speed indicated on the scale is. Next the dial it is rotated in the clockwise direction until the index is opposite the numeral 3. These two operations may be made in reverse order if desired without affecting the operation of the mixer. As soon as both controls are set the switch is closed and the escapement mechanism starts to run, the elements appearing as shown in Fig. 5. At the end of the three minute period the cam has rotated back to the position of Fig. 3 allowing the pawl 58 to drop off of the step 5% to open the switch 2% and stop the motor, ending the mixing at the predetermined time.

Assume next that the operator merely desires to whip a batch of cream until it reaches a desired expanded condition and that the mixing 'speed' for this operation: is -.established.-* The length oftime for such "whipping'cannot be known in advance for it dependson properties of the cream, such as its temperature,- which are variable. Moreover, it is important that the cream not'be whipped fortoo long a period. 'Under" these conditions the manual control is preferably used. The operator merely sets the speed control lever to the indicated whipping speed and turns the timer dial36 to the manual position indicated by the letter M. v The parts thenare in the positions shown in Fig. 6 with the switch 25 closed. Since the spring 42 is not under tension tending toreturnthe cam 55 to the off position, theescapement will not operate and the mixer will run until the switch25 manuallyopened by returning either of the controls to i the. off position when the operator notes that thecream has been properly whipped.

From theforegoing it will be apparent that a greatlyimproved mixer has been provided which is automatic in operation, simple to set and control and fulfills the objects of the invention.

' Various changes and modifications such as will present themselves to those familiar with the-art may be made without departing from the spirit of this invention whose scope is commensurate with the following claims.

' What is claimed is:

1. In a food mixer having an electric motor and a speed regulating mechanism for said motor, the combination including a member for actuating said mechanism, a switch having a pair of movable contact carrying elements for. controlling the supply of current to said motor, means for moving one of said movable elements to a contact making position in response to the actuation of said member, a timer adapted to run for a predeterminable time, and means actuated by the timer for moving the other movable element to the contact making position, both said moving means thus bringing together the switch contact element when the timer and the speed regulating mechanism are operated.

2. In a food mixer having an electric motor and a speed regulating mechanism for said motor, the combination including a movable arm for actuating said mechanism, an electric circuitfor said motor, a switch having a pair of movable contact carrying elements for controlling the supply of current to said motor, cam means for regulating the position of one of said movable elements in response to the position of said arm, a timer adapted to be set to run for a predetermined time, and a second cam means actuated by the timer for regulating the positions of the other of said moveable elements whereby closing of the switch contacts is prevented except when the timer is operating and the movable arm is actuated.

3. In a food mixer having an electric motor, a circuit for supplying current to said motor, a switch for controlling the supply circuit to said motor, a timer settable to run for predeterminable periods of time and then open said switch, governor means for controlling the speed of said motor, and a manually movable element adapted to regulate said governor means and to open said switch when in one of its various positions.

a. A timing mechanism for electrically driven food mixers or similar appliances which comprises in combination with an electric motor operating circuit, a pair of contact elements for closing said circuit, each independently movable toward a meeting position with the other of said contact elements, a lever for regulating the speed governor adjustment of the motor movable selectively between a starting and low speed end of a travel course toward a high speed end thereof, apparatus controlled by said lever for moving one of said contact elements toward its said meeting position, and a settable escapement device including means for moving the other of said contact elements toward its said meeting position whereby the completion of the motor circuit is made contingent upon a motor speed regulation as well as upon a timing escapement setting.

5. The combination set forth in claim 4 in which said escapement device is comprised of a train of gear and pinion members in driving series, a pendulum wheel terminating said series, an escapement pallet driven by the gear and pinion train for actuating said pendulum wheel, a torque spring for driving said train, a shaft for winding said torque spring, and a frictional clutch coupling between said shaft and said gear and pinion train whereby manual rotation of said shaft will produce slippage of said coupling while torque spring load dissipation will drive said gear train through said coupling.

6. The combination set forth in claim 4 in which said escapement device includes a manually settable rotary shaft, a torque spring wound by the manual. rotation of said shaft, a cam disc frictionally carried on said shaft, a pivoted follower lever spring urged to ride the periphery of said cam and to flex said other of said contact spring elements toward the meeting position. and a. train of escapement driving gears and pinions rotatable with said cam disc whereby said cam disc is adapted to slip when said shaft is manually rotated and. to drive its escapement gear train when said shaft is restored to zero position by said torque spring.

7. The combination set forth in claim 6 in which said cam disc includes a peripheral dropof! shoulder and in which said follower lever includes a pivotally carried member having a, cam surface riding projection, a spring for urging said member in cam engaging position but yieldable to said drop off shoulder when said cam disc is rotated in reverse direction to effectmovement of said follower lever to its contact spring flexing position.

RAYMOND J. BRASKI.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,099,050 Chamberlain Nov. 16, 1937 2,300,950 Lux Nov. 3, 1942 2,456,979 Merrill Dec. 21, 1948 2,479,390 McNairy Aug. 16, 1949 2,488,364 Zilliotto Nov. 15, 1949 2,573,757 Aylesworth Nov. 6, 1951 

